by Sam Dogra
Exhausted, I collapsed onto my back. The pain flowed out of me, and all my strength along with it. The runes circled the light pillar, burning away like tiny suns. The last bit of brightness I’d ever see.
My eyes closed, and I thought I heard someone call my name, but the pull of sleep was too much and I faded into darkness.
* * * * *
A cool hand brushed my cheek, stirring me back to consciousness. My eyelids tensed. I didn’t want to wake up. It was comfortable here. A bundle of tears escaped, trickling down my face, so I raised a hand to wipe them. Well, I would have, if not for a heavy weight pinning my arms down. I made to tug free, but whatever it was kept me in its grip. Too weak to put up a struggle, I soon gave up. The same touch caressed me again, and I shrank away. Leave me alone, damn it!
“Eliza, are you awake?”
Ryan’s voice; a gentle whisper that tickled my ear. Tired though I was, I forced my eyes open. I was sitting in his lap, propped against his shoulder, his arms wrapped around me. If I wasn’t already too exhausted to move, I’d have frozen.
What did he think he was doing?
“Eliza?” Ryan ran his thumb over my cheek again. My skin tingled, and I withdrew. I knew he was only being supportive, but with my mind groggy, I didn’t want to take a chance of provoking anything more intimate.
“Alright, I’m up,” I croaked; my mouth was so dry. Coughing, I lifted my head from his shoulder and freed myself from his embrace. Ryan’s grip tensed, afraid to let me go, but then he relented. Part of me didn’t want to leave his warmth, so I forced myself to shuffle back. I didn’t want to get too comfortable.
Rubbing my teary eyes, I looked around. We were in a dark room, sitting on a bed, with Ryan’s back pressed against the headboard. He’d taken his coat and boots off, and something white was wrapped around his upper arm. A bandage. I raised an eyebrow. When had he hurt himself?
Still confused, I stared at the night sky through the window. We must’ve been in an inn of some sort. But how? Lanaran was miles away from the shrine, and…
The shrine!
Memories flooded back; trying to ride past unnoticed, dodging the burning lanterns, splitting up from Ryan, heading into the shrine alone, and that weird pillar of light.
My brows narrowed as I recalled the white fire and strange runes. Not to mention that horrible headache. That was the last thing I remembered before blacking out.
“How did I get here?” I asked, folding my arms around myself. It was cool, and I missed my jacket.
“We brought you to Lanaran after we found you collapsed in the shrine sanctum,” Ryan said.
“I don’t remember…”
“You’ve been asleep for three days.”
My jaw went slack.
“What?”
“I tried to wake you when I found you,” Ryan said, “but nothing worked. Even on the cart ride here you didn’t stir.” He swallowed. “I was starting to worry whether you’d ever wake up at all. So I kept you close to make sure you were still breathing.”
Stunned, I could only answer with a nod. Three days shrouded in blackness…Adam used to joke about me being a heavy sleeper, but this was plain silly. Even the arrow wound couldn’t explain why I’d been out of it for so long.
I chewed my lower lip. Of course, the most obvious explanation, beginning with the letter ‘B’, was the first thing that sprang to mind. However, when I thought about what had happened, I began to wonder. Sure, I’d ended up in Ryan’s arms—a near-perfect result for the curse—but why wasn’t it playing its advantage? It shouldn’t have let me escape from him so easily. Neither could I blame Parting, as it appeared Ryan had never wandered far enough to trigger it.
It must have something to do with those runes.
I raised a hand to brush my hair behind my ear, when I noticed my arm wasn’t hurting. In fact, I’d not felt the slightest twinge since waking up. I gripped my shoulder. My fingers skimmed the tear in my blouse, however the flesh beneath was unscathed. Brow raised, I tested my arm movements. They were completely normal.
Bemused, I stared at my hand. The light show in the shrine might have been the conjuring of my panicked imagination, but I’d definitely been shot. How could the wound have healed so quickly? Now that I thought about it, my ankle hadn’t throbbed in a while, either.
Ryan slid over the sheets and squeezed my shoulder. He pressed his palm over the rip in my blouse, warming my skin. I resisted the urge to lean towards him.
“Eliza, what’s wrong?”
I closed my eyes. I wanted to tell him about the light and the runes, but I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t sure if it had even really happened.
“How did you find me?” I asked, deciding to avoid the question.
Ryan watched me for a moment, before he let go and sat back on the bed.
“It wasn’t just me,” he said. “I found some help. Some Guardsmen from Lanaran were passing by from a training exercise, and I flagged them down. We stopped the men from setting fire to the ring passages. We did a search for the flametar bottles, and that’s when we came across you.” His brow creased. “What were you doing there, anyway? I told you to find someplace safe.”
My cheeks burned. I’d asked myself the same question whilst staring down that rickety staircase.
“Sorry,” I muttered. “I panicked. After we split up, some men chased me, and Cielo ended up back at the shrine. I couldn’t think of anyplace else to take cover.”
Ryan nodded.
“I shouldn’t have put you in that position,” he said. “I didn’t realise how many men there were. Forgive me.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess I’m still not used to travelling with a partner.”
I stiffened. I didn’t like how he said ‘partner’.
“How’re you feeling now?”
I shrugged.
“Still tired,” I said, stifling a yawn. “My body clock’s totally out of sync. If I don’t start sleeping at night, I’ll never be able to face sunlight again.”
“No problem, we can stay here,” Ryan said. He shuffled across and put his arm around my shoulders. I shivered. Why did he feel so warm, even when I was dressed in as many layers? And that damned scent…
“Hey, I promise I won’t stop breathing,” I said, nudging him in the ribs. I meant it as a joke, but one look at Ryan told me he didn’t see the funny side.
“Please don’t scare me like that again,” he murmured, pulling me into an embrace. My face flushed, and my heartbeat echoed in my ears. “I don’t want to lose you.”
His words left me speechless. When fumbling for a reply didn’t work, I sat as still as I could, unsure of what to do. Courtesy told me to hug him back; it was the least I owed him after he’d saved my life again. And I was touched he thought so much of me, despite our short time together. Yet fear of the Binding was never far behind. It could pounce at any moment and overcomplicate things.
I sighed. The curse hadn’t poked its nose out yet. I couldn’t constantly cower away when it might awaken and interfere. I had to learn to show Ryan my gratitude while my body remained under my control.
“Ryan…” Hesitating only briefly, I slid my arms around him and rested my head on his shoulder. Ryan twitched; he obviously wasn’t expecting that. I chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. Not when I’ve got you to look out for me.” I poked him in the chest. “Just don’t send me out into the wilderness alone again, okay? Not until I’ve had more lessons with the knife.”
Ryan smiled.
“I promise I’ll keep you safe,” he whispered. He pulled back, so I was looking at his face. His gaze lingered on mine, waiting. I was too afraid to maintain eye contact for long, and ended up staring at his nose. Ryan leant forward a little, and I swallowed. At the last moment he changed his mind, and he kissed my forehead. “Sleep well, Eliza. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He released me and stood up. Picking up his boots and coat, he slipped out the door. I watched him go, then sighed, turning to the
window. The moon was a pale crimson, glinting off the frost on the city rooftops. I rolled the sheets between my fingers, still warm from where Ryan had been sitting.
Somehow I doubted I’d get much sleep now.
CHAPTER TWELVE
‘...and with it came knowledge unbidden, a truth which tore her heart in two. For what choice could she make?’
—Tale of the Binding
Dawn broke through the frosted window, and I rolled onto my side, watching the light creep across the floor. I’d been waiting for morning for what seemed like forever. Drumming my fingers on the bed sheets, I let out a long yawn. Much as I appreciated having a real bed—and being spared another night sharing the sleeping bag—I was irked my insomnia hadn’t let me enjoy it. So many thoughts raced through my mind, and despite my efforts, I’d never quite managed to tune them out.
I leant back against the mattress. Events in the shrine kept replaying in my head, as they had done all night. I’d lost count of how many times I’d gone over it, yet I still couldn’t make head or tail of what had happened.
Or why.
Resting my hands behind my head, I let out a slow breath. It seemed no matter what I did, I was destined to get entangled in deeper and darker things. As if fighting the Binding and evading Ryan’s pursuers hadn’t been enough, last night—wait, three nights ago—I’d almost become a living sacrifice. Not that I’d exactly helped myself with my rather panicked survival choices, but I wasn’t accustomed to having my life threatened on a regular basis.
What had those men tried to achieve by setting fire to the shrine? More to the point, why had they needed flametar? It might have made the flames more colourful, but fire was still fire; changing the fuel source wouldn’t make it burn any hotter, and certainly not hot enough to melt stone. Assuming that destroying the shrine had been their purpose, of course.
I frowned. Maybe I was looking at it the wrong way. They could have been going for another angle, like a publicity stunt, or something. But they’d not planned that out very well, either. At the most, burning an ancient shrine would cheese off some scholars. Nobody else would care. If the gang wanted to cause real uproar, they should’ve targeted Lanaran’s churches or even its cathedral.
Then again, judging from their reception of me and Ryan—and Will—the men seemed to want to keep their operation to themselves. Hence why they started the fire at night, and their determination to eliminate witnesses. Which made even less sense. What had they to gain from turning a pile of ruins into…well, more ruins? And what was so important they felt they needed to take such extreme precautions?
I sank back into the pillows. I’d exhausted myself of theories. Only one possibility remained, but it was so far-fetched, so crazy, so stupid, I was almost embarrassed I’d even thought of it.
Maybe the group were trying to trigger something within the sanctum. And I’d been the one to see the results first-hand.
I closed my eyes, twiddling a finger around the curled ends of my hair. The runes of white fire appeared, as vivid as that night. I blinked, and they disappeared. I couldn’t understand why they lingered in my memory. Not only that, but what was so special about me that meant I could read them? I wasn’t gifted in languages. Adam tried to teach me Esturian once, his mother’s native tongue, but I’d never picked it up. I could just about introduce myself, and as for reading that elegantly curved script, well, deciphering a sheep’s bleating would’ve been easier.
Grumbling, I threw off the covers. I had to stop thinking about this; I was going round in circles. And, recalling Ryan’s little display last night, I had other problems to deal with.
The light from the window beckoned, and I ambled towards it. The chill was more prominent, so I hunched inside my blouse. My jacket and cloak rested on a chair by the door, but I was lured by the view outside. Through the misted glass lay the snow-laden buildings of Lanaran. I marvelled at the novel architecture. The Councillor’s Hall was decorated with broad pillars and purple banners, and archways and bridges surrounded it. The square stretched before it, currently devoid of people, and in the distance loomed the frosted dome of the cathedral.
My breath fogged up the window pane, and a droplet of condensation dribbled down the glass. I reached out, wiping it aside, and before I knew it, I’d sketched out a rune. I had to get them out of my system, somehow. The cold sent shivers up my arm, but I didn’t stop until the four shapes were completed.
Pain, solemn tears, tragedy, and desire. Pretty potent words, but also pretty meaningless. My eyes drifted from rune to rune, seeking a hidden link. The first three followed the same kind of theme, however desire came out of no-where. Swapping the order of the letters didn’t make better sense, either. And solemn tears? Why not simply tears?
My eyes narrowed, and I smeared the window clean. I wouldn’t get far working myself up like this. More helpful would be to do some research. Fortunately, I was in the perfect place for it. I’d been looking to dig things up on the Binding anyway; hopefully the archives could also shed some light on the mystic symbols, too.
I turned back to the bed. While Ryan had said we could stay as long as we needed, that probably didn’t include me wandering about on my own. He’d want to keep tabs on my whereabouts, especially given his promise last night. Therefore, now was the time to slip out, while he was snoring his head off. Although the last time I tried this in Bane, my plan had spectacularly backfired, I wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice. There’d be no distractions. I just had to get to the archives, breeze through whatever I could, and get back.
Easier said than done, of course.
My boots lay at the foot of the bed, so I sat down to pull them on. However, as I began undoing the laces, it occurred to me my ankle wasn’t hurting.
At all.
Eyebrow raised, I hitched up my trouser leg. The bruising and swelling around my left foot was gone. I brought both my feet together to compare. They were exactly the same size once again.
Okay…
I crossed my leg and prodded the joint. Nope, not even a trace of discomfort. I flexed it, stretched it, made a circle with my toe; all movements were full and pain free. My eyes widened. Just like the arrow wound, my ankle seemed to have magically healed itself.
Scowling, I ran a hand over my shoulder. I’d been sceptical about whether I’d been shot or not, but this proved it. Both my injuries were gone, despite the fact I’d had such a bad sprain. Not even Father’s best skin cream could cure an open, bleeding cut in three days.
I glanced back to the window pane. The runes had definitely affected me. Yet while it was a relief to be at full strength again, my heart tightened with dread. Such a blessing had to come at a price.
I groaned, covering my head with my hands. Stop. Thinking. Now!
A change of scenery was what I needed.
After fastening my laces, I stood up and shuffled into my jacket and cloak. Scarf in hand, I left the room. A short corridor led to a staircase, and before it stood another door, slightly ajar. Hands in my pockets, I headed to the stairs, and as I passed the doorway, I couldn’t help but glimpse inside.
Ryan lay tangled in the bed sheets, his sandy hair sticking out at all angles. His mouth was partly open, a sliver of drool pooling onto his pillow, and his shirt was unbuttoned. Strips of light crept in from the curtained window, playing across his face, which was more stubbled than I remembered. His chest rose and fell in a peaceful rhythm, and I couldn’t break my gaze. Heat blossomed in my cheeks, and I sighed. Ah, my favourite playmate was back. You know, I’d almost missed it.
My legs tensed, driven by a sudden desire to curl up beside him, but I clenched my fists and fought the urge down. It looked like normal service had been resumed. I’d have to put my guard up again. My eyes lingered on his slumbering form, when I closed his door and made my way to the main hall.
The reception area consisted of a desk, a fireplace and a series of plush chairs. The fire had dwindled to embers, though I still felt a care
ss of warmth as I strode past. The innkeeper wasn’t around, so I made for the door. As I gripped the handle, I hesitated. Ryan would throw a fit if he woke up and found me missing. The poor boy had been worried sick since I collapsed, and I remembered too well his reaction when he found me wandering Bane. I should at least leave a note so he didn’t come chasing after me.
I retraced my steps to the desk. Some blank parchment had been left, along with a quill and some ink. I tore off a small piece and scribbled a quick note that I’d gone for a walk. I crept back upstairs and slipped it under Ryan’s door. I didn’t feel brave enough to open it; the Binding would take over, and I certainly didn’t want Ryan to tag along and find out what I was up to.
Or to wake up and find me lying beside him.
Satisfied, I returned downstairs, then headed into the freezing streets. At this hour, they were mostly empty. The icy air grazed my skin, so I tugged my scarf up. Unfortunately the soapy fragrance from Ruthwall had vanished, but at least I didn’t have to drown in that nameless scent of Ryan’s the curse loved to tease me with.
A misty breath escaped me as I gazed around the paved streets. The buildings towered so high I couldn’t see the city walls, so I tried to get a sense of direction from other landmarks. To the north lay the square, crested by the Councillor’s Hall, and in the centre stood a statue flanked with benches. Beside that a tall signpost marked directions to various city districts. Aha, that should tell me where to go.
I strolled beneath the cloudy sky, thrilled I didn’t have to rely on a stick anymore. The path to the square sat only a few hundred yards away, but I took my time, admiring the elegant archways, stylish windows, and brickwork glazed with ice. Lanaran was a beautiful city, and under the snow it seemed all the more enchanting. I’d love to get to know the place better, though I doubted I’d have the chance. For all Ryan’s words last night, I knew he’d want to be back on the move as soon as possible. I’d have to make the most of the time I had now.
Crossing the bridge, I headed for the statue. At first I thought it was another rendition of the Goddess, but it represented a different woman. Her features were sharper, and she was dressed in scholar’s robes. A brass plaque below revealed her name; Lady Adenia Ezengarde, esteemed patron of Lanaran.
